Search location by ZIP code

NEWS ARCHIVE

Arabber cleared of charges can't get his horses back

The city of Baltimore could face a lawsuit from one of six arabbers accused of animal cruelty. In January, Animal Control took custody of 14 horses at the Carlton Street stable, citing poor conditions. All the arabbers have been acquitted of the animal cruelty charges but their horses are gone. A spokeswoman for Animal Control said the acquittal means the criminal burden of proof wasn't met and the horses still could've been abused.

In January, Animal Control took custody of 14 horses at the Carlton Street stable, citing poor conditions. All the arabbers have been acquitted of the animal cruelty charges but their horses are gone.

A spokeswoman for Animal Control said the acquittal means the criminal burden of proof wasn't met and the horses still could've been abused.

All the horses were adopted before the verdict came down, and a lawyer for one of the arabbers said his client's only recourse is legal action.

Eric Berman is an attorney representing Ernest Ford, who is one of six arabbers accused of animal cruelty. Ford's four horses were seized.

"I think that this was a targeted attack on these arabbers," Berman said.

A citation issued after the raid cited a lack of water, fresh air and failure to keep stalls free of urine and feces.

The horses were examined in January 2015 and the findings were detailed in a report that found fecal tests showing all of the horses had tapeworms, dried urine and feces were present throughout their coats and they had various forms of thrush, a bacterial hoof infection.

Diamond, a 12-year old pinto, was in the best health, given a 5.5 out of 9 on a body-condition scale.

Princess, a 5-year old pinto, and Candy, a 20-year old standardbred were given scores of 5 out of 9.

Mr. Wells, an 18-year-old Arabian, scored 4 out of 9.

Berman said the horses weren't mistreated.

"According to their own veterinarian, who was the expert at their trial, he said that the horses weren't abused and they never should have been taken in the first place," Berman said.

Ford was acquitted on 40 charges of animal cruelty.

"Mr. Ford was very happy. He just wanted to try and get his horses back, which he's not going to be able to do," Berman said.

Ford won in court but lost at an Animal Control administrative hearing. That process was separate from criminal proceedings. An attorney can be present but isn't required.

"He wrote a letter the next day requesting that he can get his horses back, but what administrator or city official is going to give horses back to somebody who has been accused of animal cruelty?" Berman said.

Berman said his client is left with a clean criminal record and empty stables.

"Now our only recourse is to sue the city," Berman said.

Berman said Ford will never get his horses back, but he hopes a successful lawsuit would compensate him for his losses.

A spokeswoman for Animal Control said Ford is the only defendant who showed up to the administrative hearing in an effort to get his horses back.